Reconstructing the Organizational and Social Structure of a Ransomware Gang | A Black Hat USA 2024 Conversation with L Jean Camp and Dalya Manatova | On Location Coverage with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli

Guests: 

L Jean Camp, Professor, Luddy School of Computing, Informatics, and Engineering, Indiana University [@IUBloomington]

On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/ljean/

At BlackHat | https://www.blackhat.com/us-24/briefings/schedule/speakers.html#l-jean-camp-37968

Dalya Manatova, Associate Instructor/Ph.D. Student, Luddy School of Computing, Informatics, and Engineering, Indiana University [@IUBloomington]

On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalyapraz/

At BlackHat | https://www.blackhat.com/us-24/briefings/schedule/speakers.html#dalya-manatova-48133

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Hosts: 

Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast [@RedefiningCyber]

On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/sean-martin

Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast

On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli

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Episode Notes

In this Chats on the Road episode of the On Location with Sean and Marco podcast series, hosts Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli engage in an insightful conversation about the intricacies of modern cybercrime, specifically focusing on ransomware gangs. The discussion revolves around the research conducted by their guests, L Jean Camp, a scholar specializing in the economics of security and privacy, and Dalya Manatova, a PhD student studying security informatics and the organizational social dynamics of e-crime.

The episode explores how ransomware gangs, such as the notorious Conti group, operate much like legitimate businesses. These criminal organizations exhibit structured hierarchies, recruit testers who may not even realize they are part of an illegal operation, and employ professional negotiation tactics with their victims. The guests emphasize that the threat posed by these gangs is often misunderstood; rather than facing advanced government operations, most individuals and organizations are dealing with commoditized cyber-attacks that follow business-like procedures.

Jean and Dalya share intriguing details about their methodology, including the linguistic and discourse analyses used to map out the relationships and organizational structures within these criminal groups. These analyses reveal the complexities and resilience of the organizations, shedding light on how they maintain operational efficiency and manage internal communications. For instance, the researchers discuss the use of jargon like “cat” to refer to crypto wallets, a nuance that highlights the challenges of interpreting cybercriminal chatter.

Additionally, the conversation touches on the implications of these findings for cybersecurity practices and the broader business landscape. Jean notes the importance of information sharing and understanding the flow of chatter within and between criminal organizations. This awareness can empower defenders by providing them with better tools and methods to anticipate and counteract these threats.

Overall, the episode provides a comprehensive look at the sophisticated nature of ransomware gangs and the importance of interdisciplinary research in understanding and combating cybercrime. The session mentioned in the episode, "Relationships Matter: Reconstructing the Organizational and Social Structure of a Ransomware Gang," is slated for Wednesday, August 7th at Black Hat, promising to offer more extensive insights into this critical issue.

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Resources

Relationships Matter: Reconstructing the Organizational and Social Structure of a Ransomware Gang: https://www.blackhat.com/us-24/briefings/schedule/#relationships-matter-reconstructing-the-organizational-and-social-structure-of-a-ransomware-gang-39725

An Argument for Linguistic Expertise in Cyberthreat Analysis: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372244795_An_Argument_for_Linguistic_Expertise_in_Cyberthreat_Analysis_LOLSec_in_Russian_Language_eCrime_Landscape

Building and Testing a Network of Social Trust in an Underground Forum: Robust Connections and Overlapping Criminal Domains: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371353386_Building_and_Testing_a_Network_of_Social_Trust_in_an_Underground_Forum_Robust_Connections_and_Overlapping_Criminal_Domains

Usable Security Lab: https://usablesecurity.net/

Learn more about Black Hat USA  2024: https://www.blackhat.com/us-24/

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